Mechanical starting device.



A J.- A. BURNS. MECHANICAL STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 19104 Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

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Unire@ sfrnrns PATENT onirica.

JAMES A. BURNS, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CLUIVIBIA, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONE ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 GEORGE D. HORNING, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F CO- Lumen'.

MECHANICAL STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D843. 20, 1910s Application led .Time 3, 1910. Serial N o. 564,801.

To al whom itmafl/ concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. BURNS, citizen ofthe United States, residing at in the District'of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical 'Starting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

-My present invention has to do with mechanical starting devices for internal combustion engines; and it has for its ob-V ject to provide a simple, compact and dura` ble starting-device -calculated to elfectually prevent retrograde movement of the crank and injury to the operator in the event of the engine` back-ring during the starting operation.

My invention will be best understood by reference tothe following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.l

In the drawings which constitute part hereof: Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing my novel starting device properly applied.

` F ig.A 2 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section and side elevation of the lstarting device minus the crank. Figs. 3 and 4: are transverse sections taken in the planes of the lines-3 3 and 4 4', respectively, of Fig.

, 2', looking in the directions of the respective arrows. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken in the plane indicated by the line 5-5 ofl Fig. 2.'

Similar. letters designate 'corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which:

' A is an internal .combustion engine, and `B is the engine shaft which is preferably though not necessarily, provided at its outer end with a clutch member a.

C is a portion of a-frame, in this instance a portion of an automobile frame, and D is my novel starting device as a whole. The said device D comprises an outer casing section b' having an outwardly extending sleeve o' thatis interiorly circular and exteriorly angular in cross-section, Fig. .5; an inner casing section d having an inwardly Aentending sleeve e which is provided inside its` enlarged. end f with a clutchmember g compleinen-tary to thel before-mentioned clutch member a; a shaft i1. loosely arranged in the sleeves of the casing sections and `anenlargemen-t z' at, its vinner end, disposed in the enlargementv f of sleeve e; a pawl-body j connected through a key Z or otherwise fixed to rotate with the shaft it and contained within the opposed casing sections b and ai; a crank ym suitably fixed on the outerv portion of the shaft 7L; a pawl connection n intermediate the body j and the circular' inner side of the casing section d; and a reversely arranged pawl connection p, of

Icomparatively greater strength, intermediate said bodyy' and the circular inner side of the casing section o. In the present instance I employ two pawls, disposed as shown and pressed by springs r, in the connection n, and four reversely arranged and spring-pressed pawls in the connection p.

The sleeve c of the outer easing section Z) is held against turning, but is free to be moved -endwise in an aperture e, of angular -form 1n cross-section, 1n the frame C.

In practice,- when the device D is moved vendwise inwardly to engage the clutch member g with the clutch member o of the engine shaft- B, and the crank m is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l to start the engine, the pawl connection n lwill cause the .casing section d and the engine shaft to turn in the direction indicated, while the pawl connection p will slip or move idly in said direction inthe casing section b, Of course after the engine is started, the crank m remains idle, this because of the casing section d revolving idly' past the pawls n when the sleeve e remains in engagement with the engine shaft, and the ability of 'the comparatively strong pawl connection to coperate with the casing section 'b and hold the shaft k vagainst rotation in a forward direction. `When, however, the clutch connection'shown is employed the. starting of the engine will generally operate to kick the device D back and break the connectionbetweenthe shaft B and said device.

In the event of back-fire due topremature initial explosion and sudden backward rotation of the engine shaft B, the pawls of the comparatively strong pawl connection p will,

by engaging the casing section o, eHectually prevent backward rotation ofthe shaft z.'

and crank m and in that Way will preclude the possibility of the opera-tor beingslightly or materially injured by said back-fire. It will'also be noted that upon backward rotation of the engine shaft B and casing section el, the said section el will slip around the comparatively weakpawl connection a; the said casing section Z and pawl connection n constituting a simple and reliable slip connection for the purpose.

From the foregoing it follows that my novel device is not injured Vby backward rotation ofthe ei'ig'ine shaft B, and that, there fore, the casing section d may be'permaf nently fined in any approved mannerfto the engine shaft without involving departure from the spirit ofiny invention.

ililhile I have shown and described one forni of my invention, it is to be understood that i am not limited to the details or the form or relative arrangement of parts olis-v closed, but that extensive modifications may be made therein, withoutfeparting from the spirit thereof.

'Having described my invention, whatl claim and desire to secure'by Letters-Patent, is: A

l.' A mechanical starting device for internal Vcombustion engines, comprising a shaft having an enlargement at its inner end, an inner casing section smooth interiorly land having an outer open end and also having an inwardly extending sleeve loose on the shaft and which terminates at itsiniier end in an enlargement that extends beyond the lshaft and is provided with an interior clntch member, an outer casing-.section smooth in- .teriofly and movable outward and inward with'the inner casing section and having an inner open end opposed tothe outer open end of theinner section and-alsol having an outwardly extending sleeve that loosely receives the shaft and is exteriorly of angular forni in cross-section, fixed means receiving said sleeve and adapted to permit endwise movement while preventing rotation thereof, a crank on the shaftfor rotating the saine, a pliiralityof swinging pawls con nected and rotatable 'with the shaft. and adapted to transmit` rotary" motion in one direction from the shaft to the inner casing section and permit of backward rotation of the inner casing section independently of the shaft, and` agreater number of reversely arranged swinging pawls connected and rotatable with the shaft and adapted, on backward rotation ofthe inner casing section, to coperate with the outer casing section and prevent backward rotatioii'of the shaft.

2. A mechanical starting device for iiiternal combustion engines, comprising a.

shaft, an inner revoluble smooth-bore casing surrounding the shaft and having an inwardly extending sleeve loose on the shaft, i

an outer smooth-bore 'casing surrounding the shaft and held against rotation, a plurality of swinging pawls connected and rota-l table with the shaft and adapted to transmit rotary motion in one direction from the4 shaft to the inner casing and permit of ltion ofthe shaft an siena? rotation of' the inner casing backward or forward independently of the shaft,;and a. greater number of reversely-arranged swing-v ing pawls connected androtatable with the the shaft and. the 4non-rotatable member,

stronger than the firstnamed pawl connec-I tion, and adapted to revent backward rotaa'lso adapted 4to prevent forward rotation of the shaft by the' said revoluble member and the pawl connection between the same' and vthe shaft.

e. A starting device'for internal com bustion engines comprising a shaft, a slip connection adapted vto transmit rotary mo-v tion in one direction'from the shaftv to an engine shaft and permit rotation of the enf gine shaftv in either directionindependentlyv of the shaft* non-rotatable ymeans, and

means intermediate the'shaft" and said nonrotatable means, stronger than the said slip connection, andv adapted -to prevent rotation 'of the shaft in-on'e directionzand'to permit of'manual rotation of the shaft in the other direction and* also adapted. to prevent the' said slip-connection fromlrota'tingf the shaft inthe lastnamed direction. 5. A starting device-for internal combus- 'tioi'i engines comprising a shaft, aslipconnection adapted to transmit rotary motion in one direction from the shaft -to an engine shaft and permit rotation of the engine shaft in either direction independently of vthe shaft, non-rotatable means, and a' reverselyarranged slip'- connection interme-` diate the.' first-named' shaft .and said nonrotatable means, stronger 4than the firstnamed slip connection, and-adapted to pre- ,ventrotation of the shaft 'in one direction and to permit of manual rotation of the shaft inthe 'other direction, and also adapted to. prevent the first-named slipconnection iio from .rotating the shaft in the last-named direction.

In testimonywhereof have hereunto set my hand in'presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.- JAMES A .BUENS Witnesses l HARRY C. COLUMBUS, HUBERT O. KERRY. 

